Thursday, 30 October 2008

Oh my giddy me, they are here. The lovely postman delivered the eagerly awaited big box all the way from the USA this morning. Boxes and boxes of sweet vintagey Learn to Sew Lace Up Cards by Moda.

Each kit, either Christmas themed or vintage animals, has six cards with pre-punched holes, two extremely blunt plastic needles and yarn. These kits are great for children to have fun whilst developing valuable skills such as hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and concentration skills.

All available in the Silly Gilly store now!! Why not get organised for Christmas early!!??

Tuesday, 28 October 2008

.....this is what it would be....This book, by Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke, is full of some of the most deliciously inspiring and exciting quilts I've seen in a long time. They speak to me as a combination of vintage style and modern ideas. Such beautiful fabrics and written in such an easy to read manner.

Kathy and Sarah run a patchwork shop in Gladesville, NSW. I wish it was a little closer, but they do have an online store too....

They have a blog too - Material Obsession. Go have a look and be absolutely gobsmacked at some of the work the girls and their friends have been doing.

Monday, 27 October 2008

I'm so excited!! I have an exciting box wending its way here from the USA. It is full of some more Moda Lace Up Cards and also this time Christmas Lace Up Cards.

These kits were so popular last time - they all raced out the store in about a week! I have a set for my daughter, who is almost three, and she loves it. She is quite good at sewing random patterns now that I have I shown her how to move the plastic needle up and down through the card.

I'll update here on the blog when they arrive and are in the store. :)

Sunday, 26 October 2008

These two girls have such fun and interesting blogs, sewfunky even has four blogs going at the one time! I'm impressed, I can only think of witty things to say for one blog, let alone four...

Everyone, your comments made me absolutely cack myself. I've been telling all and sundry about all the great comments, mostly to quizzical looks..... hmmm... methinks those people don't read blogs....

Gals, flick me via email your snail mail addresses and I will pop in the mail six Little Golden Books to each of you.

I've been dreaming of a crafty getaway lately but unfortunately it's not in the budget right now. But I'm happy to share the crafty getaway goodness with you all. Jodie from Quilt Fabric Delights is hosting Inspired Stitches next year here in South Australia. You will get to meet and work with Rosalie Quinlan, Leanne Beasley of Leanne's House, Melanie Hurlston of Melly & Me, and Janelle Wind, all very talented crafters in their own right.

And I've been drooling and sighing and wishing and dreaming about Sooz's getaway from which she recently returned. Ah, is it bad form to invite yourself to other people's crafty weekends........?

Saturday, 25 October 2008

Okay, perhaps just give it a rest for a couple of weeks. Because the good garage sale karma is going to run out soon.... maybe....

Lookie here at what I found this morning, bright and early at 8.30 at the local church garage sale.....

It's a Singer 201K Sewing Machine, circa 1952. And I have it on good authority that the lady who donated it states that it is in perfect working order. Oh my, oh my, oh my......

And I already have a beautifully restored singer sewing table/cabinet for this baby to sit in. Hopefully the machine fits. You don't really worry about that when the sewing machine is going for a stupendously small amount of $10.

Thursday, 23 October 2008

Are you looking for an affordable gift for a birthday or (hold onto your seat....) Christmas?

The Silly Gilly store had a major influx of new products yesterday. Hand embroidered T-Shirts, little Steiner handmade felt gnomes, perfect for imaginative play and a few new summer hats (more on the way, I'm sewing as we 'speak'!!). And the good news is that there are lots of items in the store for which you won't pay postage!!!!! That's right, FREE POSTAGE on T-Shirts and Aprons.

Each of these T-Shirts are one of a kind so get in before they fly off with their free post deal!

Something that makes me smile is that the Silly Gilly blog tends to get about. The world, that is. This little blog has been mentioned on other people's blogs all around the world, which to be honest boggles my brain cells a little.

Tonight I've been informed that I've been featured on MomDot. MomDot is a mum blog listing site that is run by mummy bloggers, trisha, alicia, and bridgette.They run contests weekly, reviews on awesome (and not so awesome) products for family and kids, and talk about their lives. But more importantly, they feature bloggers and mum boutiques to give them an avenue to get their name out there, also assisting in google links! You can head out and list your blog for free and talk to them about doing an interview about you. Head on over and see what MomDot is about!

Wednesday, 22 October 2008

And here's a very fuzzy photo but proof enough still that I met the amazing man himself.That's Michael Franti in the middle. He was a very friendly, tall and approachable man who even complimented me on my glasses!

Monday, 20 October 2008

I have lots of Little Golden Books. Let's say we are close to 300 books.

That's shameful.That's embarrassing.That's just plain odd.

So in my efforts to tidy up the collection I have decided to have another Blogtoberfest give away of those books a) of which we have two copies, b) I just don't feel the groove when I read them or c) that are a little too 'loved' to be worth reading anymore.

So the purpose of this giveaway is not to give away pristine Little Golden Books. Dang, you say!! Not that they are dilapidated but they have seen better days. Not all of them. Some are still in great condition!

But wait, there is a method to this madness. These books are great sources of illustrations for framing for your child's room, pictures for Xmas tags or birthday cards, for use in all sorts of crafts and cleverness.

Here are a few examples of what I mean.....

The title of the books in the giveaway are, in no particular order,:

My Home

The Shy Little Kitten

Mickey Mouse and Goofy - The Big Bear Scare

Swiss Family Robinson

The Road Runner - A Very Scary Lesson

Hansel and Gretel

A Day at the Zoo

The Three Bears

The Happy Golden ABC

The Bunny Book

We Help Daddy

Sleeping Beauty

There will be 2 giveaway winners this time. If you would like to be in the draw to win six of these books then simply leave a comment with a funny quote of what the mother is saying in this picture:

She's waving goodbye at the door to the father and child leaving.... What do you think she is saying???

Look what arrived in the mail last Friday...... Such sweetness - it made me so very happy! How bright and cheery and spring-timey. The very talented Miss Fi crafted this gorgeous brooch with her very own clever hands.

This little brooch of happiness measures only 7cm across, each of those hexagons are only 2.5cm across!!! I'm blown away by how precise and perfect and neat this brooch is.

If you're impressed too, have a chat to Fi and I'm sure you could get one for your very self!

Wednesday, 15 October 2008

I've worked myself into a lather lately, trying to get lots of projects finished. Finished according to schedules set by me of course. Being self employed and running a work from home business I'm the boss and I set my own schedules. But I'm a hard task master. Dang!

So officially at 9.25pm tonight I am now signing off for the night. This is a complete rarity. Quite unheard of. I usually work till the wee hours.

How fascinating you say. Not! LOL But I bet a lot of you crafty gals know what I'm talking about, working whilst everyone else is asleep, going to bed still thinking about all you need to do and who you need to contact, listening to late night radio, drinking overly caffeinated soft drinks to keep going .... Why the rambling of this post? Because I forgot to take a photo in the daylight of my latest finished Steiner boy!!!! And because life is short. You can work and work but if you're buggered when you get to the end, what's the point?

How terribly philosophical of me. I think I'll sign off now. Or it will turn into one of my big 'what is it all about discussions' and that could take all night......

And continuing the completely non-crafty vein this post is taking, here's a pic of a little gal I know quite some time ago, looking through the half constructed doggy door. Gee they grow up so fast.... sigh

Tuesday, 14 October 2008

I had been wanting a new way to display my hats for when I attend the Future Family Fun Days each month. I mentioned this to my husband and being the architect that he is, he dwelt upon it for a few days, getting ideas straight in his head.

And this is the magnificent creation is the result!! A round wooden base supporting seven hats at different levels, so that each is not disrupting the view of another. And it was extremely thrifty too. We found the dowel used for the uprights at a garage sale for $1 and the round wooden base is the top of a table we no longer needed. Some screws from the toolbox and voila!! A little bit of paint tomorrow and I'm impressed. Hi Mr Silly Gilly if you're reading (which I know he will as he requested I blog about his workmanship)!!

Never mind the hastily placed fleece hat on top or the creatively messy desk behind. I was just in a hurry to take a photo whilst there was a smidge of light left in the room. :)

See that little hand on the left? That's my new little boy Steiner Doll almost finished and ready to go to the Future Families Fun Day this Friday, at Goodwood Community Centre. He's a custom order and looking as cute as a button. It's hard to part with these little people once I've created them! I'll post a pic of him perhaps tomorrow once he's finished.

Sunday, 12 October 2008

I've been using many moments today thinking of all the Gocco possibilities in my life.

Product labels, swing tags for products, Xmas cards, thank you notes, business cards, fabric panels for bags... the list gets bigger and bigger the more I think about it.

For those of you who aren't familiar with a Gocco printer, here's a great link.

I've watched quite a few 'how to' tutorials on Gocco print making. Before acquiring my new toy, I had ooohed and aaahhed over other people's creations, never knowing exactly how the thing worked. Now I do.

Now is the doing part. Now is the fun part. Deciding on what to create and which illustration to use.

I'm thinking of using paper first... I'm thinking mushrooms (oh I know they're so everyone else but I'm still loving them)... perhaps clouds like I used to draw in primary school.....

Friday, 10 October 2008

I've been bowled over lately with lots of lovely custom orders so I thought I might share one with you today.

I met a lovely woman at the Future Families Fun Day last month and she has ordered these two hats for her children. I think they are so bright and cheerful so I'm naming them Happy Hats. They make a nice change for boys who often have cars or trucks or dinosaurs as their only choices.

Thursday, 9 October 2008

That means congratulations goes to.... Sarah-Jo!! Whoo hoo Sarah-Jo, please forward your postal address to me and I'll get the brown Mountain Flowers fabric in the mail to you asap!

Thanks to everyone for all your hilarious and creative answers. I have to say, I'm still not convinced that I like brown devotedly. But I'm super happy that this fabric is going to a happy home. :)

And because I can't bear to post without a photo here is a photo of a cutie I know wearing a Silly Gilly summer hat. Available in the Silly Gilly store now! I'm working hard to get more summer hats into the store over the next few weeks. And also coming soon are some size 1 & 2 ultra groovy little appliqued kids t-shirts. Stay tuned.....

Wednesday, 8 October 2008

I've been working on finishing my new apron. I found the vintage pattern for it at a garage sale and had had the fabric in the stash for quite a few months. The fabric was perfect for the pattern and I have now finished the bottom half of the apron.

It's a very full apron and I've used good ol' yellow gingham, which I feel balances the grey quite nicely. Next to add is the almost completed bib which is detachable and buttons on. Pics to come soon.

Sunday, 5 October 2008

Okay, so I've fallen just a little off the Blogtoberfest wagon, but I've been hanging off the back of the wagon, just trailing in the dust a little and now I'm climbing back on. Enough of the analogies....

A few of you expressed some delight upon seeing this floral fabric I showed in my last post. I bought it at an op shop a few months ago, sensing some possibility in it, willing myself to really like it.

It hasn't happened. It's just too seventies for me. I'm a 50's and 60's gal.

So of course, what do you do with fabric that you know others covet and you don't really want?You have a giveaway, that's what you do!! The fabric measures 133cm long x 118cm wide and is a heavier weight decorator fabric. Perfect condition. Just so very brown!!

Leave a comment finishing this line:In the seventies brown was fabulous because....

I'll draw the winner with a completely autonomous random number generator 9pm Adelaide time Thursday night.

Good luck and may the brownness be with you.... (oh that sounds so very wrong)

Thursday, 2 October 2008

I have never been one to covet the colour brown. I had a short-lived dalliance with brown when I was young and attending Brownies. I loved Brownies. Particularly discovering the existence of something called canned self saucing pudding on a camping trip but I digress.....As a young child in the seventies brown was just always there. I kept away from it in my teens and twenties with a vigour. Now brown and I are making friends again. Have a looksie:

Some decorator weight fabric, found at the op shop, titled 'Mountain Flowers' that I'm aiming to use for a bag perhaps? Hmm, the colouring doesn't look too mountainish to me - more brown and dried and crunchy....

Next is some cute Robert Kaufman fabric:

And last is some uber cute Michael Miller fabric called Animal Crackers:

Brown is potentially making a comeback in the Silly Gilly camp. Maybe I'll even join the Brown Owls......ETA - My apologies for poor quality of the top two photos. Bad evening light, child awake at 9pm, what more can I say? No excuses....... LOL

Wednesday, 1 October 2008

They are pieces that I paid more for than I normally would for fabric.They are pieces that I feel such hesitation and trepidation when merely thinking about cutting them, that it borderlines on the ridiculous.

First up, and with an explanation for this posts' title, is a print called Kitty Kids by Michael Miller. Unfortunately this fabric is now out of print so I feel lucky to have some.I personally don't like cats (no offense, but it's a long story you'd only hear if you asked me in person) but I find this print so utterly sweet. It's the girls' expressions and the retro styling I think.

Next we have another Michael Miller out of print fabric title Spring Showers. So retro, so happy, so girly....

And lucky last, here is Blossom Belles by Michael Miller (anyone seeing a trend here???), another out of print fabric that I have used for a smock for the Silly Gilly store very hesitantly. But boy, did that smock rock!!